SIERRA VISTA, Ariz. (KGUN) — "Mayday" is traditionally known as an international distress signal. Sulphur Springs Valley Electric Cooperative (SSVEC) uses the term when one of their crew members needs medical attention while on the job.
On Thursday morning, SSVEC held its annual Mayday safety training in Sierra Vista to remind its crew members how to react when a colleague needs medical help.
"Our mission is to be safe, reliable, and affordable. In that order, safety is top,” said CEO Jason Bowling.
Thursday's mayday drill simulated an unresponsive lineman stuck in a bucket because of heat stroke.
“I think it's easier to find shade when you're on the ground. Unfortunately, when you're working up in a bucket, that's not always available. You may be working in direct sunlight,” Steve Garate, Training and Development Manager for SSVEC, said.
While the company has policies to avoid heat-related illnesses and in other weather conditions, Bowling says it’s better to be prepared.
"We have procedures and PowerPoint presentations and classroom trainings to get our crews ready for a bad thing if it happens," he said. "But it's not until we do things like this that we really get an opportunity to see where our gaps might be.
“It gives us an opportunity to see how relationships among our community partners makes us better at responding to bad situations when they do come up.”
Sierra Vista police, fire, and paramedics participated in the drill.
“To be in this situation is very rare. But if it does happen, it's nice to have some experience in trying to overcome the obstacles that we might encounter,” said Battalion Chief for Sierra Vista Fire & Medical Services, Matthew Irlmeier.
The takeaway from Thursday is better communication.
"We need to communicate a little bit more in coordination with the emergency first responders when they do arrive on scene to make sure they're not putting themselves in a potentially hazardous situation,” Garate said.
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